U.S. Customs and Border Protection

U.S. Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Rodney Scott announced that the agency will not build a 30-foot wall or install stadium lighting in protected areas. These locations include Big Bend National Park, Big Bend Ranch State Park, and the Black Gap Wildlife Management Area.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection seized over 440 pounds of seed cotton from a family traveling to the U.S. from Afghanistan at Dulles International Airport. Agents deemed the raw cotton a threat to domestic agriculture because it still contained seeds and could harbor pests, necessitating specific permits and treatments for import.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection discovered over 16 pounds of fentanyl, valued at nearly $240,000, hidden inside an electric moped at the southern border. A 22-year-old Mexican national is facing federal charges related to this seizure. The article notes that CBP has seized other high-value narcotics, including cocaine and methamphetamine, through various inspections at multiple points of entry.

A White House report titled "The Great Transshipment Scam" warned that foreign exporters are routing goods through third countries to evade U.S. tariffs. The report estimates these tariff-avoiding transshipment costs the U.S. Treasury between $19 billion and $26 billion annually, citing China as a high historical risk. More than 40 countries, including Mexico, Panama, and Colombia, were identified as posing a significant transshipment risk.

Following a Supreme Court decision that struck down sweeping tariffs implemented by President Donald Trump in March 2025, shippers like FedEx, UPS, and DHL are beginning to pass on tariff refunds received from the U.S. government to customers. These refunds are the last step in a monthslong process of returning tariffs collected under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act on imported goods. Customers who originally paid tariffs may check specific carrier websites for details on receiving their direct refund.

Despite a landmark Supreme Court decision overturning President Donald Trump's emergency tariffs, few New York City small businesses have benefited from tariff refunds while they struggle under new import levies. The Manhattan Chamber of Commerce reported that tariffs are among top factors squeezing bottom lines, with small businesses absorbing an estimated $4.5 billion annually in tariff costs. Furthermore, many business owners find the refund filing process daunting and are fearful of government retribution.

A former U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer was sentenced to nine years in federal prison. The sentence was issued for helping Sinaloa Cartel-linked traffickers smuggle large quantities of drugs into the United States via the Tecate Port of Entry.

An Atlanta man allegedly triggered a secret phone wipe code on his Google Pixel during an inspection by U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. Prosecutors charged him with knowingly destroying digital property that the government had lawful authority to seize, though his attorneys dispute the charge, arguing the detention was unlawful.

A Houston law firm with ties to Donald Trump has secured a $150 million contract to provide legal services for unaccompanied child immigrants. The firm will assist minors who cross the U.S.-Mexico border, as shown in an article photo from La Joya, Texas, where such migrants were transported by U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

The Trump administration ordered border wall contractors in drought-stricken New Mexico to stop drilling wells after ranchers raised concerns that groundwater extraction for construction could threaten livestock. Contractors Caddell Construction Co. and Fisher Industries are involved, and the New Mexico Office of the State Engineer reported eight unauthorized wells drilled along the border.

The Trump administration ordered border wall contractors in drought-stricken New Mexico to stop drilling wells after ranchers raised concerns about water shortages threatening livestock. Contractors Caddell Construction Co. and Fisher Industries were instructed to halt new well drilling, though existing wells' status remains unclear. The New Mexico Office of the State Engineer reported eight unauthorized wells drilled for the project, violating state water regulations.

The Trump administration ordered border wall contractors in drought-stricken New Mexico to stop drilling wells after ranchers warned that groundwater extraction could threaten their livestock. The New Mexico Office of the State Engineer found eight unauthorized wells drilled by contractors, which are illegal under state law. U.S. Customs and Border Protection stated it would collaborate with state agencies to address groundwater concerns.

A man died after a boat carrying 21 migrants was intercepted near San Clemente Island by the Coast Guard and U.S. Customs and Border Protection. The vessel was stopped more than 70 miles off the Southern California coast, where officials found 21 people suspected of entering the country illegally.

A man died after a boat carrying 21 migrants was intercepted near San Clemente Island. The Coast Guard and U.S. Customs and Border Protection stopped the vessel over 70 miles off the Southern California coast, finding 21 people suspected of entering the country illegally.

UC San Diego has ended its participation in the Operation Stonegarden grant program, which funded campus police collaboration with Border Patrol, following student and faculty protests. The decision followed a CalMatters investigation revealing the decade-long partnership and student concerns about risks to undocumented and international students.

Federal authorities seized over 1,000 pounds of cocaine worth $20 million hidden beneath the floorboards of a commercial truck entering the U.S. from Mexico at the Calexico Port of Entry. Mexican national Jose Manuel Lopez, 44, was arrested and charged with importing cocaine, marking the second-largest cocaine bust in the Southern District of California this year.

The Los Angeles Police Department reported 12 incidents of potential unlawful conduct by federal immigration officers in June, the highest since tracking began in March 2025. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detained 43,000 people in June, the highest monthly total since January 2025. The increase in reported incidents may reflect improved LAPD methods for capturing such events following a city directive issued in February 2025.

A small West Texas town, Presidio, is opposing President Trump's border wall plan. U.S. Customs and Border Protection plans to build the wall in this remote border region despite local resistance.

Rep. Brandon Gil cited a Local 10 News investigation as the source of a federal probe into a South Florida business accused of facilitating 'birth tourism.' The company, Have My Baby in Miami, operated by Dr. Wladimir Lorentz, allegedly promoted services for non-U.S. citizens to give birth in the U.S. to secure citizenship for their children, which violates visa laws. Congressional investigators warn that misrepresenting intentions on a visitor visa constitutes fraud.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection seized 16 pounds of Bengal monitor lizard parts, 50 pounds of raw meat, and 33 pounds of mangoes, garlic, bamboo, and banana plants at a Los Angeles Port of Entry. The items were reportedly from Thailand.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials seized 16 pounds of Bengal monitor lizard parts, 50 pounds of raw meat, and 33 pounds of mangoes, garlic, bamboo, and banana plants at a Los Angeles Port of Entry. The seizure occurred at a port of entry in Los Angeles.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials seized 16 pounds of Bengal monitor lizard parts, along with 50 pounds of raw meat and 33 pounds of various plants at a Los Angeles Port of Entry. The items originated from Thailand and were intercepted during an inspection.

The Department of Homeland Security issued over 100,000 civil fines totaling $84 billion to illegal immigrants under the Trump administration, with $1.2 billion collected in payments. Fines of $998 per day were imposed on those with final removal orders who failed to comply, and self-deportation initiatives were promoted through the CBP Home app. Over 3 million illegal immigrants left the U.S. during Trump's first year back in office, including 2.2 million who self-deported.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued 103,000 civil fines totaling $84 billion to illegal immigrants under the Trump administration, with $1.2 billion collected in payments. The administration imposed $998 daily fines for those with removal orders and promoted self-deportation via the CBP Home app, resulting in 3 million departures, including 2.2 million self-deportations, and nearly 900,000 deportations.

Italian authorities seized 1,700 pounds of extremely pure cocaine hidden in a banana shipment at the port of Vado Ligure, with an estimated street value of $290 million. The drugs were concealed in a refrigerated container from Ecuador, part of an ongoing effort to combat international narcotics trafficking.

Two Charlotte women, Tatyana Reisini and Kristen Roos, filed a federal damages claim against the U.S. government and agencies including Customs and Border Protection after alleging they were assaulted and falsely arrested during November 2025's 'Operation Charlotte’s Web.' The women, U.S. citizens, claim they were charged with assaulting federal agents for honking to alert the community of immigration agents' presence, though the charges were later dropped.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials seized 16 pounds of Bengal monitor lizard parts, 50 pounds of raw meat, and 33 pounds of plant materials at a Los Angeles Port of Entry. The items were discovered in a suitcase after K9 Maisy alerted authorities to the contraband.

A U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer from El Paso appeared in federal court after being indicted on charges of allegedly falsifying a report regarding excessive use of force.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) stated the federal government is not responsible for lost border buoys because they have not yet taken possession of the waterborne barrier. The agency clarified this in a statement to Border Report.

Sen. Rand Paul released documents showing the FBI halted a U.S. Customs and Border Protection inspection of British zoologist Peter Daszak due to his long-term collaboration with the Wuhan Institute of Virology. The documents reveal CBP had flagged Daszak as a high person of interest before the FBI requested the inspection be stopped.

Sen. Rand Paul released documents showing the FBI halted a U.S. Customs and Border Protection inspection of British zoologist Peter Daszak, linked to the Wuhan Institute of Virology, during his return from a WHO investigation into COVID-19 origins. The documents reveal Daszak was flagged for his collaboration with the Wuhan lab and NIH-funded research, but the FBI requested the border inspection be canceled.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers seized more than 40 pounds of cocaine valued at approximately $775,296 from a vehicle at the San Ysidro Port of Entry on July 1. The individual arrested was a U.S. citizen.

Cartels continue using storm drain tunnels in El Paso to smuggle humans and narcotics despite increased border security. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) faces challenges patrolling the tunnels due to their complexity and hazardous conditions, though migrant numbers have dropped significantly under President Trump. Smugglers now charge $20,000–$30,000 per person and use social media to recruit guides.

Cartels continue using storm drain tunnels in El Paso to smuggle humans and narcotics despite increased border security. U.S. Customs and Border Protection's Confined Space Entry Team faces challenges like heat and low oxygen while patrolling the tunnels, which now see smaller groups of migrants due to stricter enforcement. Smugglers charge $20,000 to $30,000 per person and use social media to recruit guides for the hazardous routes.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers seized 118 pounds of cocaine at the Otay Mesa Port of Entry in San Diego. The drugs were found in 45 packages hidden inside the spare tire well of a vehicle attempting to cross the border from Tijuana, Mexico.

A green-card holder was caught smuggling guns and ammunition into Mexico. U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers intercepted the contraband at a remote port of entry in West Texas.

Preparations for a 30-foot-tall border wall are underway at Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge. Crews from Spencer Construction are cutting grass and brush on the southside of the levee, where U.S. Customs and Border Protection has designated the wall's location.

An 11-year-old girl went missing after a boat ride in Lake Erie following the discovery of a deceased man near Mienke’s Marina in Ohio. The babysitter survived and provided information to authorities, while search crews, including the Coast Guard, continue efforts to locate the child.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers in Norfolk seized kitchen cabinets imported from China on June 23, which were deliberately mismanifested and undervalued to evade duties. The cabinets, appraised at over $120,000, were destined for Los Angeles and initially inspected on May 18.

Border officers discovered 58 pounds of methamphetamine, valued at over half a million dollars, hidden in a black SUV with secret compartments at the Paso Del Norte Port of Entry in El Paso, Texas. The vehicle, arriving from Mexico, was inspected by CBP on June 18.